The shopkeeper's eyes trembled anxiously. Even though he was just watching, he felt a chill as if ice water had been poured over his entire body.
"This kid, in front of who…!"
The organization member who came to his senses belatedly put his hand into his bosom. The moment he gripped the grip in his pocket, Echidna's red eyes glanced at him.
Their eyes met for less than a second. It was far too short to convey her meaning, but the man immediately understood her intentions.
'Don't interfere.'
Eventually, the man reluctantly returned his hand.
He pushed in and stood behind Echidna like a shadow. The shop owner, who had been waiting for him to wink at him, ran away in surprise.
And about ten seconds.
"Hire me."
It was Echidna who broke the silence.
"Do I know what we're doing?"
"You couldn't possibly have come here without knowing?"
"Where did you hear something?"
"I won't deny it, but you don't plan on hiding it either, do you?"
The content of the conversation. The store is empty even though it is lunch time. Above all, the atmosphere is created by the people themselves. Any fool can tell at a glance that she is not an ordinary woman.
Actually, Echidna didn't think it was a disaster either. She was just a little surprised. She was curious about the fact that an outsider came to see her on his own.
I didn't know you could be this brazen.
"Okay, let's say it's good."
She crossed her slender legs.
"But isn't that a bit out of the blue? What are you looking at over there?"
"Well. Face?"
"...."
Even with the pointless joke, her cold attitude remained unchanged. However, Kim Yi-hyeon caught Echidna's slight reactions without fail. The way her cheeks flinched momentarily.
He already knew his opponent's temperament.
"You're not in your right mind."
A delicate hand, not suited to Banjar, held the fork.
Knock knock!
The dish was deformed with a sound of metal twisting.
The fork becomes thinner and longer from the top of the handle. It resembles a spiral drill bit. What was originally intended for eating becomes a weapon in the blink of an eye.
The sharp tip touched Kim Yi-hyeon's neck. It pressed against the cloth covering his skin. It looked as if it would blow a hole in his throat at any moment.
"Uh, uh, uh, wait a minute."
Kim Yi-hyeon flinched and pulled back.
He spread both hands out so that his palms were visible as if to calm him down.
It is an expression of intent not to rebel.
Echidna accepted it.
So, I let down my guard just a little bit. It was a natural judgment based on common sense, but at the same time, it was also a fatal mistake.
There are bound to be people in this world who don't follow common sense.
chuck.
It seemed as if the shape of his hand had changed, and then a gun appeared in his bare hand.
"This will make us a little more equal."
"Where are you now...."
"Hey, Echidna!"
Kim I-hyeon warned the gangster as he was about to take out his gun again.
"You can do more. I'm telling you in advance that I have no intention of doing anything right now. If this woman gets even the slightest injury, it'll all be your fault. Are you sure you can handle the consequences?"
A position where you can check the actions of both at once. Without even blinking.
The organization members were confident, even though it was their first meeting. He was a man ready to shoot. Without any hesitation.
If Echidna gets hurt or dies.
Who is responsible? … … .
His conflict was extremely explicit.
"Ha, okay. It's useless."
Echidna let out a sigh and dropped the transformed fork. She looked at Kim I-hyeon with an irritated look. It seemed like she wasn't even scared even though she was facing the barrel of a gun.
Kim Yi-hyeon was secretly impressed. As expected, he was not the type of person to be threatened.
'No, if it's urgent I'll shoot.'
Echidna is a character who appears in the event story set in Banjar. She is the head of a mafia organization called 'Nuova Era'.
In the end, she is destined to die. She is even murdered quite brutally… Basically, she is a very dignified womanizer.
'No matter how you package it, the fact that he's a villain remains the same.'
Personally, I don't hate it.
"Okay, I admit it. It was my mistake. Whether it was a spell or some other trick, you could have easily assassinated me. And you could have done it very easily."
"If I had intended to do that, it wouldn't have turned out like this."
"It sounds like it was possible if you just put your mind to it."
Kim Yi-hyeon shrugged and put the gun down. But he didn't put it away completely. Even though he knew something about his opponent, he still needed insurance.
"Anyway, speaking of employment. You want to work under me, so you've demonstrated your skills in a way that makes me want to work for you. Is that the right way to sum up the situation?"
"That's correct."
"Your actions are also amazing. Didn't you just get here today?"
"I was hit in the back of the head as soon as I got here, so I felt alert."
"Back of the head?"
I relayed the incident from a little while ago.
While I was at it, I also brought up Dustborne's name. Shahid is somewhat aware of Kim I-Hyun's circumstances. As long as he is alive, information will inevitably leak out.
There was no need to hide anything. From the world's perspective, Dustborn was just a small group of mercenaries. It wouldn't be particularly strange for them to have flowed into Banjar.
"For this reason, I think I'll need some connections. It's a dangerous neighborhood."
"흐응."
Echidna nodded her head in agreement.
If it was a feeling of discomfort, it would remain. And so would the anger at herself for having become lax. But it was also a suggestion that would tickle her ears.
The skill with which he dealt with Maulik. He was brave and courageous, but he was also courageous. Of course, if that were all, he would not be such a rare talent even in Timorta.
If this spoiled brat is worth it.
"Can you show me that again?"
"Is this okay?"
This time, a dagger popped out from his left hand. The process of the grain of light transforming into a blade happened in an instant. It was a sight that took my breath away.
Echidna's lips turned up. Banjar was a place where people who were ostracized from society gathered. The three years she had rotted here were thicker than the twenty years she had lived in her hometown.
'I've met all kinds of monsters, but... ... .'
I've never seen a spell like this before. Could there be a more suitable person to use as a hitman? I felt like luck was rolling in my face.
The moment the words 'I understand' rose to the top of my lungs.
"...."
Our eyes met again. Looking closely, the color of their eyes was closer to dark brown than black. The peaceful, smiling expression seemed to be overly confident.
But the eyes do not smile.
I can't guess what she's thinking. Echidna has felt similar feelings many times in the past.
Their futures were equally extreme: either they would die or fall into the abyss. Or they would succeed and establish their own position… .
Suddenly, a thought occurred to me. Maybe it was a poisoned chalice. I couldn't ignore the possibility that it would be a disaster instead of the 'new stimulation' I wanted.
After a moment of thought, Echidna gave a slightly different answer.
"I need to see your skills."
"I think I showed what I had to show."
"There are a lot of empty shells out there, even though the hardware is usable. This isn't school. I don't have the time to teach you everything."
"That's tricky."
"If you came here to negotiate directly, you probably don't intend to come in as a low-ranking official. If you're satisfied with my handling of the matter, I'll give you an appropriate position."
She smiled brightly.
"If you're not confident, then you can be honest."
Shhh?
It was a statement that could be interpreted to this extent.
Kim Yi-hyeon let out a hollow laugh. It was such an obvious provocation. It was refreshing rather than hurting his pride, but there was no reason not to accept it.
"What should I do?"
"I guess I'll have to see what happens. I can't just make something up out of nothing."
"Then I'd like to find a place to stay first. Is there anywhere you can recommend?"
"I have a hotel of my own. This one's a good one, I'll let you stay there for free."
"Oh. Until when?"
"Well, until you get out of my sight?"
At that time, will you only be forced to leave? That won't be the case. You'll probably get shot out of nowhere on the street or be surrounded by a bunch of men.
The squeaky appearance felt even more eerie than the expressionless face from before. It reminded me of how rare a group of sages like Cellbrox Lab is.
But there were definitely parts that were easy to be vicious about.
"Yes, that's the informant you mentioned, Shahid."
"Why him?"
"Don't even think about looking for it. It's a waste of time."
Echidna added calmly, as if she were talking about tomorrow's weather.
"If you want, I'll give you one finger as a gift."
Shahid is the person who currently has the most information about Kim Yi-hyeon. There is no way Echidna would leave him alone. If only to find out the truth of the conversation we just had.
If Kim Yi-hyeon becomes an ally, it will be necessary to keep the organization's members' mouths shut again to maintain confidentiality. No matter how things turn out, there is no hopeful future for Shahid.
'That's why you have to be good at walking the tightrope.'
It saved me the trouble of having to search for it.
* * *
Choaack!
"허억...!"
Shahid opened his eyes, swallowing hard. The cold water splashed on his face soaked his hair and dripped down. The cold chilled him to the bone, causing his muscles to contract.
"Did you have a good dream?"
A voice that was almost indifferent. It was a tone I had heard somewhere. Shahid's head rose, his whole body trembling.
Then he was able to witness.
A number of people surrounded him. Among them, a woman sitting on a box and looking in this direction. Her ruby-colored eyes, which were both beautiful and ominous, were impressive.
The name came to mind right away. It was someone I couldn't help but recognize.
"Oh, Lady Echidna."
"Even dogs and cows know me. I don't feel so good about it. But if they don't know me, my pride will be hurt. Human hearts are really tricky."
Ultimately, the problem was that the city was too small.
About three years have passed since Echidna settled in Timorta. There is no one among the information brokers who does not know her name and face.
Crunch, crunch!
Shahid squirmed and twisted his shoulders. But he didn't move at all. He was tied tightly to the chair with ropes. The more he struggled, the tighter the ropes seemed to be.
Shahid's eyes quickly rolled around. A space filled with wooden boxes. It seemed to be a warehouse somewhere. He had no idea how he had been dragged here.
The last memory and the current situation are not connected.
When I heard that Maulik had died, I tried to get out of the city. I got in the car and lost consciousness… and I opened my eyes here. That was it.
But my circumstances were fine anyway.
It was a new thing. Life in Banjar was a series of absurdities. Whether I could convince myself of it or not was not the important issue.
"What did I… do? Something that would make you guys want to…."
"As expected, a veteran is a veteran. He's quick to grasp the situation."
Echidna smiled with satisfaction.
"Let me ask you a few questions."
Gulp.
Shahid handed over the shackles. The interrogation began soon.
"About the stranger you sold to Maulik. What's his name?"
"Ka, I know you as Karajam."
He didn't know Kim Yi-Hyeon's real name. The only instructions he received from Morea were to guide an acquaintance and forge an identity. He didn't know any of the details.
But saying 'I don't know' is like asking to be killed. If necessary, you have to make up a plausible lie to get out of the situation.
It is common sense among information providers.
"I don't think that's your real name. Well, okay. Where do you belong?"
"…It's a research company called Cellbrox Lab."
"Not Dustborne? I've never heard of it before."
"Because that's not a group that operates in Banjar…."
Echidna gestured to her subordinates. They all shook their heads. Shahid hurriedly added an explanation.
"It's a research institute that mainly conducts research related to spells, but I heard that they also sell equipment that controls spell output. You can find out more if you ask around."
"So, what's your relationship with that rap?"
"Sometimes I get work from a guy named Morea who belongs to the rap group."
"Morea?"
"I have never met him in person, but he is a client who definitely pays me. This time, he asked me to guide him to Karajam…."
Echidna opened her eyes wide after hearing the whole story. Soon, she burst into laughter.
"Ahaha. But you hit the back of my head? You're amazing too."
"...."
"Anyway, are you saying you don't know anything about Karajam himself?"
Actually, I didn't even expect it.
At least if I had figured out his spells, things wouldn't have turned out this way. I should have paid more attention to Maullik, or I shouldn't have betrayed him in the first place.
Shahid failed. Greed brought disaster.
"Hey, give me a chance!"
"응?"
"I'll dig through Morea. Ha, I can do it. Give me a week, no, three days, and I'll bring you some results."
"You're issuing too many blank checks."
Echidna crossed her legs.
"But there is a problem with keeping you alive."
"예?"
"Karajam might become a member of our organization. If that happens, then I'll be using the guy who hit my subordinate on the back of the head to dig up my subordinate's back."
He rested his chin on his palm, his elbows on his thighs. A soft laugh escaped his lips.
"I look undignified."
"Phew, dignity...."
Shahid was dumbfounded. Of course, he knew in his head that they didn't need a great reason to kill people.
But maybe he thought it was someone else's problem. Maybe he believed that he was different from other fools. Maybe he believed that he could survive if he acted wisely.
It was a stupid idea.
"Dignity is important. It gives capable people a reason to follow me. Then I try to improve myself more, and the more I do that, the bigger the organization becomes. Should I say it's a virtuous cycle?"
Knock, knock.
She got up from her seat and dusted herself off her butt.
"Put it in the drum."
"Hey, Lady Echidna! Please, just give me one more chance... Woof!"
The sound of low-heeled shoes echoed. Natural light seeped into the dark room, then was blocked again. Echidna turned her head and glanced at the sealed warehouse she had just come out of.
"Hmm. It's a bit far, but the soundproofing is fine."
There was no noise outside.